Thinking about using an online Christian curriculum program to home educate your child? For many parents, this educational option provides a unique opportunity for their child to receive an affordable, quality Christian education. However, whether parents are supplementing a few courses along with other homeschool curriculum or enrolling their child in an entire distance learning program, there are some questions to answer before choosing an online Christian curriculum program. To determine which is best for your child, consider these five important questions:

Is the online curriculum truly Bible-based?
Many distance learning programs offer online curriculum that does not present Christianity favorably or even relate their subject matter to God. Since having a child taught through the lens of a Christian worldview is an important consideration, Christian parents would be wise to research online homeschool curriculum reviews before purchasing curriculum. Opinions and advice from other homeschooling families will provide helpful information in choosing the right online distance learning program for your family.

What curriculum formats are offered in the online program?
There are several curriculum options offered in online homeschool programs, such as:
• Web-based – Where all materials are available online and completed over the Internet.
• Computer-based – Where curriculum includes ebooks, satellite broadcasts, or CD-ROM materials sent to your home.
• Traditional – Where some materials are online, but most of the classes use conventional, print-based workbooks.

Is the online curriculum student led or teacher directed?
• Student-led curriculum allows a child to work independently at his own pace. The child usually interacts only with the material and receives computerized feedback that corrects and grades his work.
• Teacher-directed curriculum provides a child with access to a teacher and the material. Personal, one-on-one interaction is available with tutors. In addition, some online school programs provide forums or discussion boards to interact with other students. The child normally works independently and has flexible deadlines for completing assigned lessons.

What lesson assignments and evaluations are offered?
When determining what online Christian curriculum to use, parents should think about what types of assignments they want their child to do for each subject. Does the curriculum offer fun-filled projects, multimedia tutorials, and other online learning tools? Plus, what criteria is used to determine if a child has learned the subject matter correctly. Will tests and quizzes be mostly multiple choice and true or false questions, or does the online curriculum also offer short answer and essay writing tests?

Is the online Christian curriculum program accredited?
Although accreditation usually doesn’t play a major role in elementary level grades, some families do want their older children to receive a degree from an accredited institution. While the curriculum itself is not accredited, an accredited distance learning institution is able to provide an official high school diploma that does offer more recognition of a child’s academic achievement to colleges. However, many of today’s universities are much more favorable to home education and accept a child for entrance based on a homeschool transcript and ACT or SAT test scores.

Finding an online Christian curriculum program doesn’t have to be difficult. Simply use these five questions to help narrow down your options, and you’ll be sure to find the online distance learning program that fits your family’s home education needs perfectly.

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